Corrections Corporation

Officials approved plans for a 1,515-bed, medium-security prison that will bring the town more than a million dollars a year when it opens in 2008. The prison will be built along Sheridan Street, near a Broward County landfill, the Bergeron Park of Commerce and the maximum-security Broward Correctional Institution for women. It will be run by Nashville-based Corrections Corporation of America. According to the agreement, Southwest Ranches will sometimes enter into contracts with agencies such as the U.S. Marshal's Service to house inmates at the prison.

The plan to build a for-profit immigration jail in Southwest Ranches has been dying a slow death and it's now time to nix the scheme. For-profit prisons have incentives to maximize profits by cutting corners at the expense of decent conditions and public safety, and they deliver scant benefits to local communities. Privatized incarceration presents a grave threat to human rights. Last year, the ACLU of Texas sued Corrections Corporation of America — the company angling for Southwest Ranches — after an officer sexually abused multiple immigration detainees.

A federal civil rights suit was filed on Wednesday in Fort Lauderdale on behalf of three Puerto Rican prisoners who were shot in a New Mexico jail. The lawsuit accuses the Corrections Corporation of America, which runs the Torrance County Detention Facility in Estancia, N.M., of providing unsanitary conditions for inmates, and for allowing inmates to be attacked by guards. Five prisoners, exported from Puerto Rico's crowded prisons under a contract with the corrections firm, were hit by buckshot during a melee at the New Mexico jail on Aug. 3. The Puerto Rican government subsequently had more than 100 prisoners transferred from the New Mexico jail.

When it comes to measuring whether Florida's seven private prisons save money, it's squishy science at best. As Florida moves toward a vast overhaul of the nation's third-largest prison system by turning over 29 additional prisons to a private company on Jan. 1, there will be new challenges for state officials charged with monitoring operations and determining whether taxpayers benefit. Some studies point to modest or greater cost savings at privately operated prisons, while others say there is no discernible benefit.

A federal civil rights suit was filed on Wednesday in Fort Lauderdale on behalf of three Puerto Rican prisoners who were shot in a New Mexico jail. The lawsuit accuses the Corrections Corporation of America, which runs the Torrance County Detention Facility in Estancia, N.M., of providing unsanitary conditions for inmates, and for allowing inmates to be attacked by guards. Five prisoners, exported from Puerto Rico's crowded prisons under a contract with the corrections firm, were hit by buckshot during a melee at the New Mexico jail on Aug. 3. The Puerto Rican government subsequently had more than 100 prisoners transferred from the New Mexico jail.

Broward County commissioners are rethinking turning over construction and operation of a new women's 500-bed jail to a private company. Commissioners will decide on Tuesday, but already some are saying the bids are too high. "I'll have to be convinced this is good for Broward. I'll have to be convinced this is cheaper for Broward," said County Commissioner Lori Parrish. Commissioners are unimpressed with the $66 million bid from Wackenhut and the $69 million offer from Corrections Corporation of America.

The Broward Sheriff's Office must submit a budget for building and operating a new 500-bed women's jail, but the numbers will be checked by an outside auditor, the Broward County Commission decided on Tuesday. County commissioners asked for the sheriff's numbers after two proposals from private companies came in higher than expected. Broward officials were moving forward with a controversial plan to privatize the next jail, but were stunned when Wackenhut Corrections Corp. said it could house inmates for $68.31 each per day, and Corrections Corporation of America said it would charge $71.50.

The last hurdle to a new prison in the town may be cleared during a special meeting of the Town Council on Wednesday.Officials will consider final approval of a 1,515-bed, medium-security prison that Town Administrator John Canada says will bring in $1 million a year when it opens in 2008. The council has already approved an agreement with Nashville-based Corrections Corporation of America to enter into contracts on behalf of the prison and act as its broker. The town will earn 4 percent on deals it makes with other government agencies to house inmates there.

PANAMA CITY -- A county jail run by a Tennessee company is so confident about changes made in the seven months it`s run the facility, it requested and will get a new inspection Wednesday. "I think when they come in the next time, they`re going to be hard- pressed to find a violation," said David Myers, facilities administrator for the Bay County Jail, the first privately run, full-security jail in the nation. "They`re going to have a difficult time writing us up," he said. The Florida Department of Corrections will take a look at the oft- criticized jail in downtown Panama City this afternoon.

Angry with its neighbor for barricading three public roads, Pembroke Pines is using Southwest Ranches' own words to hit it where it hurts most -- in the pocketbook. Southwest Ranches has a deal to receive $1 million a year from Corrections Corporation of America, a Nashville-based company hoping to build a 1,500-bed prison on 24 acres. Pembroke Pines is arguing Ranches doesn't deserve the money because the land, although technically part of Southwest Ranches, isn't connected to the town.

Angry with its neighbor for barricading three public roads, Pembroke Pines is using Southwest Ranches' own words to hit it where it hurts most -- in the pocketbook. Southwest Ranches has a deal to receive $1 million a year from Corrections Corporation of America, a Nashville-based company hoping to build a 1,500-bed prison on 24 acres. Pembroke Pines is arguing Ranches doesn't deserve the money because the land, although technically part of Southwest Ranches, isn't connected to the town.

The last hurdle to a new prison in the town may be cleared during a special meeting of the Town Council on Wednesday.Officials will consider final approval of a 1,515-bed, medium-security prison that Town Administrator John Canada says will bring in $1 million a year when it opens in 2008. The council has already approved an agreement with Nashville-based Corrections Corporation of America to enter into contracts on behalf of the prison and act as its broker. The town will earn 4 percent on deals it makes with other government agencies to house inmates there.

Officials approved plans for a 1,515-bed, medium-security prison that will bring the town more than a million dollars a year when it opens in 2008. The prison will be built along Sheridan Street, near a Broward County landfill, the Bergeron Park of Commerce and the maximum-security Broward Correctional Institution for women. It will be run by Nashville-based Corrections Corporation of America. According to the agreement, Southwest Ranches will sometimes enter into contracts with agencies such as the U.S. Marshal's Service to house inmates at the prison.

For 15 years, George Zoley has been an entrepreneur locked in a box. Zoley, CEO of Wackenhut Corrections Corp., was severely limited in strategic moves because WCC was a subsidiary of security services firm Wackenhut Corp. For example, WCC couldn't swap stock to make acquisitions under a policy decision of its parent. After WCC bought back the majority share of its stock in July, Zoley now is tasting the sweet fruits of freedom. The Boca Raton-based prison services firm finally has the ability and means to make acquisitions.

The largest corrections company in the world plans to build a 764-bed prison in far southwest Broward County and drop out of the three-way race to build a women's jail for the county. Corrections Corporation of America plans to open the prison to house federal inmates in mid-1999 on 24 acres just north of Sheridan Street and east of U.S. 27, according to a letter the company sent to the county. The company did not say what sort of inmates would be kept there, but Pete Corwin, assistant county administrator, said he assumed they would come from the U.S. Marshal's Service and the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

The Broward Sheriff's Office must submit a budget for building and operating a new 500-bed women's jail, but the numbers will be checked by an outside auditor, the Broward County Commission decided on Tuesday. County commissioners asked for the sheriff's numbers after two proposals from private companies came in higher than expected. Broward officials were moving forward with a controversial plan to privatize the next jail, but were stunned when Wackenhut Corrections Corp. said it could house inmates for $68.31 each per day, and Corrections Corporation of America said it would charge $71.50.

Sheriff Ron Cochran, trying to fend off a firm that wants to take over operation of Broward County's jail system, lopped $2 million from his budget on Wednesday. Cochran also warned county commissioners at a budget meeting that the company, Corrections Corporation of America, is under federal investigation for allegations of bribing public officials. The company denied wrongdoing. The Nashville, Tenn., firm has been lobbying for months to replace the sheriff as operator of Broward's four jails.

The largest corrections company in the world plans to build a 764-bed prison in far southwest Broward County and drop out of the three-way race to build a women's jail for the county. Corrections Corporation of America plans to open the prison to house federal inmates in mid-1999 on 24 acres just north of Sheridan Street and east of U.S. 27, according to a letter the company sent to the county. The company did not say what sort of inmates would be kept there, but Pete Corwin, assistant county administrator, said he assumed they would come from the U.S. Marshal's Service and the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

The four-year battle over whether to privatize a Broward County jail stalled _ and may have died _ on Tuesday. The County Commission rejected the two bids for a women's detention center as too high. Commissioners unanimously threw out the bids and told Wackenhut Corrections and Corrections Corporation of America to cut their prices by about 30 percent or forget about privatization. And commissioners demanded that the Broward Sheriff's Office submit a bid for comparison with any new private bids they get. "Both bids we received were excessive," County Commissioner John Rodstrom said.

Broward County commissioners are rethinking turning over construction and operation of a new women's 500-bed jail to a private company. Commissioners will decide on Tuesday, but already some are saying the bids are too high. "I'll have to be convinced this is good for Broward. I'll have to be convinced this is cheaper for Broward," said County Commissioner Lori Parrish. Commissioners are unimpressed with the $66 million bid from Wackenhut and the $69 million offer from Corrections Corporation of America.